If you experience itching, hives, brain fog, and fatigue without being able to identify the cause, it may be linked to mast cell activation syndrome. Mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) is an immune cell overreaction that appears to be on the rise. It causes inflammation and other distressing symptoms.
Obstacles to Diagnosing MCAS
Dr. Jill Carnahan, who practices functional medicine in Louisville, Colorado, highlighted a significant gap in medical education. Most doctors learn about a rare mast cell disease known as mastocytosis, but they aren’t made aware of MCAS.Dr. Neil Nathan, a recognized authority in Lyme disease and MCAS and author of “The Sensitive Patient’s Healing Guide,” told The Epoch Times that he hadn’t heard of MCAS until 2016.
“Once it entered my awareness, I began to realize I had been seeing it for years without making the right diagnosis,” he said.
Recognizing MCAS Symptoms
Because mast cells are present in every system, symptoms can develop almost anywhere, making MCAS challenging to recognize. Symptoms can also overlap with other conditions and vary widely among individuals.Histamine-related symptoms such as itching, hives, palpitations, brain fog, fatigue, abdominal cramps, and bloating are a tip-off for MCAS, especially when the reaction is instantaneous and perhaps inconsistent, Dr. Nathan told The Epoch Times. Unlike allergic reactions, which typically occur consistently with each exposure and take a few minutes for symptoms to appear, mast cell reactions hinge on the activation status of the mast cells.
“With mast cell activation, it depends on how reactive those mast cells are at the moment,” he said.
This means that the cells may not react if a patient is not in a flare-up. Importantly, if you can stop the activation, you can prevent subsequent reactions.
- Irritated eyes, nose, mouth, or throat.
- Headaches, neuropathies, and cognitive issues.
- Anxiety and mood disorders.
- Bone, joint, and muscle pain.
- Joint laxity or hypermobility.
- Sensitivities to chemicals and electromagnetic fields (EMFs).
2 Patients, 2 Distinctive Journeys
The stories of Summer Carroll and Hannah Parker, whose lives have been profoundly shaped by MCAS, provide insight into the importance of early treatment and the challenges faced when practitioners lack awareness about MCAS.Mrs. Carroll, a mother and formerly active youth pastor, has battled MCAS for a decade since experiencing an anaphylactic reaction following surgery. Her symptoms evolved from joint pain to seizures and an inability to tolerate most foods. Documenting her extraordinary journey in her book “Canary in a Bubble” (published under her pen name, Summer Le’Dawn), she describes living in a “protective bubble” to avoid reactions to everyday elements such as perfumes.
Throughout her ordeal, she faced misdiagnoses, dismissals, and gaslighting from the medical community. Over six years, she underwent numerous tests without an explanation for her extreme hypersensitivity. One doctor dismissed her symptoms as anxiety, prescribing medication for a condition she did not have.
Once she was diagnosed with two tick-borne conditions—Rocky Mountain spotted fever and alpha-gal syndrome—Mrs. Carroll faced skepticism from an infectious disease specialist. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) contacted her, referring her to a specialist at the infectious disease clinic in her state’s largest teaching hospital. However, he denied the presence of Rocky Mountain spotted fever in Alabama or any states Mrs. Carroll had visited.
Despite eliminating red meat, milk, and mammalian byproducts due to alpha-gal allergies, her prescribed medication contained mammalian byproducts, exacerbating her condition. As her dietary restrictions tightened, she could only tolerate organic tomatoes, flour, and well water. Weighing a mere 85 pounds, Mrs. Carroll suffered extreme malnutrition and relied on an electric wheelchair to get around.
The surgeon, scheduled to insert a vital nutrition port, doubted her condition and refused to perform the procedure. She shared, “It was Christmas, and they sent me home to die!”
Fortunately, her doctor identified and halted the mast cell activation, treated the Lyme disease, and rebalanced her hormones. Her improvement contrasts sharply with Mrs. Carroll’s worsening situation, emphasizing the need for early intervention and specialized MCAS care to prevent irreversible damage.
A Multilayered, Collaborative Treatment Approach
Treating MCAS requires a multilayered, personalized, and collaborative approach, according to Drs. Carnahan and Nathan. Navigating potential reactions to medications or supplements demands a step-by-step strategy, starting with one element at a time, using low doses and working up, and possibly using a compounding pharmacy that creates custom drugs to avoid reactions to inactive ingredients. Dr. Nathan emphasized the importance of resetting the limbic and nervous systems as part of treatment.Triggers, Toxins, and Resilience
Like symptoms, the triggers vary among individuals. Mrs. Carroll and Mrs. Parker both had underlying tick-borne infections. But additional triggers—surgery for Mrs. Carroll and prolonged stress and lifestyle factors for Mrs. Parker—ultimately set off MCAS for them.Dr. Nathan, who is also an expert in mold toxicity, considers those with MCAS “the canaries in the coal mine,” warning us about the toxicity of our planet.
- Mold, chemical, or heavy metal exposure.
- Infections, especially Lyme disease, Bartonella, and COVID-19.
- Herbicides and pesticides, including glyphosate.
- Parabens, phthalates, and per- and polyfluoroalkyls (PFAs).
- Food, beverages, and food additives.
- EMFs.
- Trauma and chronic stressors.
- Medications and supplements.
Clean Air, Clean Water, and Clean Food
Dr. Carnahan emphasizes the need for “clean air, clean water, and clean food” to reduce one’s toxic load and improve overall health.For clean air, air purifiers, open windows for ventilation, and a HEPA filter in your furnace can improve indoor air quality. Avoiding smoke, choosing nontoxic cleaning products and scheduling regular house cleanings to minimize airborne particles help create a healthier breathing environment.
For clean water, using a reliable water filter eliminates contaminants, and checking local water quality reports guides effective filtration. Using stainless steel or glass water bottles avoids potential plastic leaching.
